Satterthwaite, Young punch state tourney ticket

Berthoud's No. 4 doubles team makes unlikely run to 4A championships

By Sean Star Sports Writer

Posted:
05/04/2012 07:46:38 PM MDT

GREELEY -- High school freshmen are supposed to fear seniors. But the dynamic between Berthoud senior Elle Satterthwaite and freshman Jamie Young is anything but that. The chemistry so good between the two, in fact, that it's made for one of the best doubles teams in BHS girls tennis history.

On Friday at Centennial Park, Satterthwaite and Young, the Spartans' No. 4 doubles team, clinched a history-making spot in the Class 4A state championships by finishing second at the Region 4 tournament, becoming just the second team or player from BHS ever to qualify for state.

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The duo are the first Spartans to go to state since a foreign exchange student from Korea made it more than a decade ago, so in many ways, their run is unprecedented.

Their path to Pueblo is also pretty uncommon. Both are first-year varsity players, as Satterthwaite decided to try out for tennis her senior year with a close friend just for the fun of it. But when that friend decided to bail, it left her to hang out with the only other familiar face on the team. That just so happened to be Young, whose older sister, Adi, is a good friend of Satterthwaite's.

Berthoud High School's Jamie Young (left) and Elle Satterthwaite

"The first day of tryouts I was really nervous because my friend left me. I knew (the other Spartan players), but I wasn't really friends with anybody on the team," Satterthwaite said. "But I knew (Jamie). So even the first day we were like, 'do you want to warm up?'"

After Satterthwaite barely made one of the last two spots on the team, she was paired with Young. And since then, they've developed quite the relationship on and off the court.

"We bond like none other," Young said. "Elle and I have the best jokes. We just always have a good time, win or lose. We love having a good time. We like going out there and being aggressive and being at the net. We get along really well."

With the combination of Satterthwaite's length and Young's quickness, the duo cruised through the regular season with a record of 9-1. That one loss was to Eaton, who Satterthwaite and Young drew in the regional semifinals on Thursday. With revenge on their minds, the BHS duo beat the Reds 6-3, 6-4 thanks the Spartans' attacking style at the net. That victory sent Berthoud into Friday's championship match, where they fell in a hard-fought battle to Niwot, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

Satterthwaite and Young walked off the court exhausted and leery that they would have to defend their second-place standing and state-championship berth in a playback. But as soon as they reached the sideline crowded with their Spartan teammates, they were informed that Eaton had beat Valor Christian in the consolation bracket, meaning that no challenge match was necessary. It was a pleasant surprise for a season that has gone to unexpected heights for Satterthwaite and Young.

"No offense, but she's a freshman; I've never played," Satterthwaite joked with Young after. "And so I didn't think we'd get this far, but it's really cool."

Of course, their run isn't over, with a trip to Pueblo next weekend on tap.

"Being a freshman it's kind of scary, but I'm ready because I love my partner," Young said. "I'm ready. I think it's going to be fun, and I think it's going to be a good experience. We deserve it."

But regardless of how far they go, the pair has certainly made their mark, as did the entire Berthoud team, which made significant strides as a program this year. Along with the No. 4 doubles, the Spartans had two other top-four finishes at regionals, with the No. 1 team of Katja Godebu and Lindsey Pott placing third and the No. 2 team of Glenna Waite and Emmie Wellems coming in fourth.

"It's unique to have somebody that hasn't spent that much time, and then to have a freshman and match them up together, and have them go through a tournament," BHS coach Dave Mathiesen said. "So at that spot we were pretty solid. But the whole team -- the leadership we've had with the seniors -- it's just been a nice year at Berthoud High School."